Rotary gas-engine



A-. M. LE PIERRE.

ROTARY GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATIONVFILED NOV. 10, I919. 1,8683%23. Patented c28,1920q 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- A! M. LE PIERRE.

ROTARY GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, I919.

fifgamvemtoz arm-mun A. M. LE'PIERRE.

ROTARY GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 10. 1919.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920,

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

LSGSAQSD A. M. LE PIERRE.

ROTARY GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I0, I919.

1,363,423" I Patented Dec.28,,1192@.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

@ttoznuga AUGUSTE MARIE LE PIERRE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY GAS-ENGINE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 192(1).

Application filed November 10, 1919. Serial No. 336,868.

To all to ham it may concern Be it known that I, AUcUsTn MARIE Ln PIERRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Rotary Gas-Engine, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a rotary gas engine, and one object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby the moving parts of the engine will be air cooled adequately and thoroughly.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for operating the fuel inlet valve.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention claimed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation, an engine constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail wherein parts are broken away and wherein parts appear in elevation; Fig. 3 is a transverse section wherein parts remain in elevation; and Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the opposite side of the engine from that delineated in Fig. 1, parts being broken away.

The numeral 1 marks a pair of supports carrying a stator 2 having a chamber 8 at one side. The upper portion of the stator 2 communicates with a coupling 4c. in one side of the stator, an air chamber 5 is fashioned. A transverse bearing 6 constitutes part 01 the air chamber 5. Disposed within the chamber 5 is an arcuate cylinder 7. Air is adapted to enter the chamber 5 through an opening 8 which may be covered by a screen 9. A T member 10 forms a part of the stator 2 and communicates with one end of the arcuate cylinder 7. A T member 11 forming, similarly, a part of the stator, communicates with the other end of the cylinder 7 and is provided at the point where it communicates with the cylinder, with a seat 12. Ports 1% establish a communication between the arcuate cylinder 7 and the interior of the stator. A pipe 15 leads from that end of the air chamber 5 which is remote from the opening 8, the pipe 15 communicating with the chamber 3. A pipe 16 forms a communication between the coupling 1 and the l member 10. from which a pipe 17 leads to a cylinder 18 assembled with the T member 11. A piston 19 operates in the cylinder 18 and includes a stem 20 carrying a valve 21 adapted to cooperate with the seat 12, the stem operating in a guide 22 car ried by the member 11. The valve 21 is normally seated by a compression spring 23 interposed between the guide 22 and the piston 19. The 'l' member 11 has a fuel inlet 24 located between the valve 21 and the piston 19. The stator 2 may carry a water tank 25 and a. duct 26 leads from the water tank to the seat 12 which cooperates with the valve 21. Adjacent its lower portion, the stator 2 has a side exhaust opening .27.

The numeral 28 denotes a pair of supports wherein a main shaft 29 is journaled. the shaft being journaled, also, in the side portions of the stator 2. A rotor is mounted in the stator 2 and is carried by the shaft 29, the rotor including an outer wall 30 and a hub 31, there being an opening 32 in the wall 30 relatively near to the hub 31, the opening being adapted to cooperate with the chamber 3. The rotor includes radial partitions 33 and inclined or diagonal partitions 3%, the partitions cooperating to form outer chambers 85 and inner chambers 36. The outer chambers 85 are open at the periphery ot the rotor, as indicated at 38, whereas, the inner chambers 36 are closed at the periphery of the stator, as shown at 37.

An auxiliary shaft 39 is mounted to rock in the bearing 6 and carries a wing piston %0 operating in the arcuate cylinder 7. The shaft 39 carries a crank arm 11 having a slot 42, the arm being reinforced by transverse bridge pieces t A roller or like projection operates in the slot d2 of the crank arm 4.1 and is carried by a disk attached to the main shaft 29.

Let it be supposed that the piston 40 has moved in a clock-wise direction, until, as

shown in Fig. 2, the ports 11- are uncovered. j.

Then the circulation of air through the engine is as follows Air enters the chamber 5 through the opening 8 and circulates about the arcuate cylinder 7, to cool the same, the air leaving by the pipe 15 and entering the side compartment 3 of the stator. From thence, the air passes by way of the opening 32 in the rotor, to the outer chambers 35 of the rotor. These chambers of the rotor act like a combined draft and blast fan, the air being expelled through the open ends 38 of the chambers 35 into the coupling at. From the coupling 4, the air moves through the pipe 16 and enters the member 10, the air passing from thence into one end of the arcuate cylinder 7, that is, into the left hand end of the cylinden as viewed in Fig. 2. T hat end of the cylinder, being filled with air, serves to cool the piston 4:0. The air passes by way of the ports 14 into certain of the inner chambers 36 of the rotor and as the rotor turns, the air, ultimately, is expelled through the exhaust opening 27. 7

Let it be supposed that a "charge has been confined between the right hand side of the piston 40 (Fig. 2) and the valve 21 and that the charge has been exploded by any suitable means indicated at 100. Then, the piston 4:0 swings in a counter-clockwise direction until the ports 14 communicate with the expansion chamber which lies between the valve 21 and the right hand side of the pistonin Fig. 2. When the ports establish communication with the expansion chain.- ber as above stated, the exploded charge passes through the ports 14; into certain of the inner chambers 36 of the rotor, and from these chambers is delivered through the exhaust opening 27. It is to be observed that when the piston 40 moves in a counterclock Wise direction, as above stated, the air in the arcuate cylinder 7 to the left of the piston 40 in Fig. l is compressed and is forced to traverse the pipe 17, the compressed air elevating the piston 19 and moving the valve 21 off its seat 12. The piston 40, moving in a counter-clockwise direction, sucks in a charge of fuel through the inlet 21, and, at the same time, a small quantity of water is drawn from the tank 25 through the duct 26 into'the expansion chamber to aid in eliminating carbon. Assuming that there is a charge in the expansion chamber, between the piston 40 and the valve 21, the piston then moves in a clockwise direction, compressing the charge. As soon as the piston 20, moving in a clockwise direction, uncovers the ports 14 to the slightest extent, there is a diminution of pressure in the cylinder 7 to the left of the piston i0, and consequently, a diminution of pressure in the pipe 17, the piston 19 moving downwardly under the action of the spring 23 and the valve 21 resuming its place on the seat 12 When the piston 4:0 is operated by the exploding charge, motion is transmitted to the shaft 39, the shaft 39 transmitting motion to the shaft 29 by way of t 1e slotted crank arm 41, the roller or projection 14, and the disk 4L5.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A rotary engine comprising an arcuate cylinder provided intermediate its ends with an exhaust port; a shaft supported for rocking movement; an oscillating piston carried by the shaft and located in the cylinder, the piston controlling the exhaust port and separating the cylinder into an air chamber and a combustion chamber; a valve controlling the admission of fuel to the combustion chamber; an air conduit leading from the air chamber; means for supplying air to the conduit; and mechanism for operating the valve, said mechanism being responsive to an increase of pressure created in the conduit by the piston. V

2. A rotary engine comprising an arcuate cylinder provided intermediate its ends with an exhaust port; a shaft supported for rocking movement; an oscillating piston carried by the shaft and located in the cylinder, the piston controlling the exhaust port and separating the cylinder into an air chamber and a combustion chamber; a valve controlling the admission of fuel to the combustion chamber; pressure actuated means for operating the valve; a conduit communicating with the air chamber and with said means; a rotor comprising a part interposed in the conduit and acting as a blast fan; and means for operatively connecting the rotor with the shaft.

3. A rotary engine comprising an arcuate cylinder provided intermediate its ends with an exhaust port; a shaft supported for rocking movement; an oscillating piston carried by the shaft and located in the cylinder, the piston controlling the exhaust port and separating the cylinder into an air chamber and a combustion chamber; a valve controlling the admission of fuel to the combustion chamber; pressure actuated means for operating the valve; a conduit communicating with the air chamber and" with said means; a rotor comprising a part interposed in the conduit and acting as a blast fan, and a part receiving the discharge from the exhaust port; and means for operatively connecting the rotor with the shaft.

1. A rotary engine comprising an air compartment having an inlet; an arcuate cylinder located in the air compartment and provided intermediate its ends with an ex haust port; a shaft supported for rocking movement; an oscillating piston carried by the shaft and located in the cylinder, the piston controlling the exhaust port and sep arating the cylinder into an air chamber and a combustion chamber; a valve controlling the admission of fuel to the combustion chamber; a conduit leading from the air compartment and comprising branches, one of which communicates with the air chamber of the cylinder; and pressure actuated means for operating the valve, said means being in connection with the other branch of the conduit.

5. A rotary engine comprising an air compartment having an inlet; an arcuate cylinder located in the air compartment and provided intermediate its ends with an eX- haust port; a shaft supported for rocking movement; an oscillating piston carried by the shaft and located in the cylinder, the piston controlling the exhaust port and separating the cylinder into an air chamber and a combustion chamber; a valve controlling the admission of fuel to the combustion chamber; pressure actuated means for controlling the operation of the valve; an air conduit forming a communication between the air compartment and the air chamber of the cylinder, and between the air chamber of the cylinder and said means; a rotor including a part operating as a blast fan in the conduit; and means for connecting the rotor With the shaft.

(5. A rotary engine comprising an air compartment having an inlet; an arcuate cylinder located in the air compartment and provided intermediate its ends with an exhaust port; a shaft supported for rocking movement; an oscillating piston carried by the shaft and located in the cylinder, the piston controlling the exhaust port and separating the cylinder into an air compartment and a combustion chamber; a valve controlling the admission of fuel to the combustion chamber; pressure operated means for actuating the valve; a conduit leading from the air compartment and communieating with the air chamber of the cylinder and with said means; and a rotor including parts, one of which is interposed in the conduit to act as a blast fan the other of which is adapted to receive the discharge from the exhaust port.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTE MARIE LE PIERRE.

Witnesses SADIE A. PATENAUDE, ANNA TAMBOURY. 

